instashop

instashop
Company typePrivate Company
IndustryE-commerce
Founded2015
FounderIoanna Angelidaki, John Tsioris
HeadquartersSwiss Tower, JLT, Dubai UAE
Area served
UAE Egypt
Parenttalabat
Websiteinstashop.com

instashop (Arabic: إنستاشوب) is an online marketplace in the UAE and Egypt, with its headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Founded in 2015 as an online grocery delivery platform, in August 2020, instashop was acquired by Delivery Hero. In March 2025, instashop was fully acquired by talabat, Delivery Hero’s MENA subsidiary.[1][2][3][4]

Overview

John Tsioris, founder of Instashop

instashop was founded in 2015 in Dubai by 2 Greek entrepreneurs, John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki. The idea for the company emerged when Tsioris became frustrated with the traditional phone-based process of ordering groceries, which he found inefficient and time-consuming. To address this, he partnered with Angelidaki to develop a mobile-first service that streamlines on-demand grocery shopping. Together, they assembled a team and bootstrapped an early version of the app that they launched in the UAE market.[3][5][6][7] The company is currently led by its CEO, Nikola Cabarkapa.[8]

The company's app-based service allows users to order a wide range of daily essentials from supermarkets and local neighborhood retailers, offering both instant and scheduled delivery options.[9][10][11]

Since its inception, instashop has expanded its network to include various local retailers across different shopping categories, such as pharmacies, butcheries, fresh produce markets, pet shops, flower shops, restaurants, bakeries, beauty shops, organic stores, electronics outlets and more.[12][11][13][14]

Beyond its Business-to-customer (B2C) service, instashop also operates as a business-to-business (B2B) service, generating revenue through commissions paid by the shops it delivers from.

Ioanna Angelidaki, founder of Instashop

Instashop partners with approximately 1,500 vendors and operates in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, and Lebanon.[15][16]

History

In the second half of 2015, Instashop secured its first external financing—approximately US $365,000 in seed funding—from Dubai’s Jabbar Internet Group and Greece-based VentureFriends, with a follow-on round in 2016 bringing total seed-stage investment to around US$750,000.[9][17] In October 2016, Souq.com acquired a significant minority stake in the company, enabling Instashop to expand beyond the UAE into Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt and Lebanon by 2018.[18] Souq.com itself was later acquired by Amazon.com in 2017, indirectly linking Amazon to InstaShop’s investor base.[19][20]

In October 2016, Souq.сom, one of the Gulf region e-commerce major companies, invested in instashop.[21] On August 26, 2020, instashop announced its acquisition by Berlin-based Delivery Hero in a deal reportedly worth $360 million.[22] At the time of the acquisition, InstaShop had reportedly reached a gross merchandise value (GMV) of US$360 million.[23] instashop has continued to operate as an independent brand with no changes in its management.[24][3][25]

On November 17, 2023, founder John Tsioris stepped down as CEO and was succeeded by Nikola Cabarkapa.[26]

In 2024, InstaShop generated a gross merchandise value (GMV) of USD 631 million, representing a 16 percent year-over-year increase, which accounted for roughly 8 percent of Talabat’s overall 2024 GMV.[27] 

On February 25, 2025, food delivery platform Talabat Holding fully acquired instashop from Delivery Hero in a deal valued at $32 million, according to a regulatory filing. The price is largely symbolic, as the agreement is part of an internal restructuring within Delivery Hero. instashop continues to operate as an independent brand within Talabat’s Grocery and Retail vertical.[28][29][30]

References

  1. ^ Gnana, Jennifer (2020-02-16). "Generation Start-up: instashop eyes global expansion for its grocery delivery app". The National. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  2. ^ Sam, Bridge (27 Aug 2020). "Berlin's Delivery Hero acquires Dubai on demand delivery app". Arabian Business.
  3. ^ a b c East, Forbes Middle. "Delivery Hero Buys Dubai-Based Grocery App instashop For $360M". Forbes ME. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  4. ^ "talabat completes acquisition of instashop, a leading grocery delivery e-marketplace in MENA". talabat.
  5. ^ Ndichu, David (2020-08-27). "Delivery Hero acquires instashop for $360m to expand into grocery delivery". Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  6. ^ "Delivery Hero acquires instashop for $360M to drive the future of delivery | MAGNiTT". magnitt.com. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  7. ^ Thomas, Aby Sam (2020-10-18). "Driving Results: InstaShop Founder And CEO John Tsioris Wants His Work To Speak For Itself | Entrepreneur". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on 2025-07-07. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  8. ^ Staff, Entrepreneur Middle East (2023-10-30). "InstaShop Founder John Tsioris Steps Down As CEO; Nikola Cabarkapa, Former COO, Will Now Lead The Dubai-Based Online Grocery And Delivery Platform". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  9. ^ a b Gnana, Jennifer (2020-02-16). "Generation Start-up: instashop eyes global expansion for its grocery delivery app". The National. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  10. ^ Ndichu, David (2020-08-27). "Delivery Hero acquires instashop for $360m to expand into grocery delivery". Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  11. ^ a b Bridge, Sam (27 August 2020). "Berlin's Delivery Hero acquires Dubai on demand delivery app". Arabian Business.
  12. ^ "InstaShop goes head-on with pure online players - News | Khaleej Times". 2021-10-23. Archived from the original on 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  13. ^ East, Forbes Middle. "Delivery Hero Buys Dubai-Based Grocery App instashop For $360M". Forbes ME. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  14. ^ "Germany's Delivery Hero acquires grocery app instashop for $360m". capital.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-11. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  15. ^ "Sucess Story: founded by PEM Alumni, InstaShop was acquired for $360 million, a record sum for a Greek startup". www.pem.tuc.gr. 2020-09-07. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  16. ^ Khazindar, Nour El (2020-08-27). "Delivery Hero Acquires InstaShop for $360 Million". WAYA. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  17. ^ MENAbytes (2020-08-31). "Dubai-based Jabbar and Greece's VentureFriends win big with InstaShop's exit". KrASIA. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  18. ^ Hariharan, Sindhu (2016-10-31). "UAE-Based Online Grocery Startup InstaShop Raises Funds From Souq.Com". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  19. ^ Paracha, Zubair Naeem (2020-08-30). "Dubai-based Jabbar and Greece's VentureFriends win big with InstaShop's exit". MENAbytes. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  20. ^ Russell, Jon (2017-07-03). "Amazon completes its acquisition of Middle Eastern e-commerce firm Souq". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  21. ^ Hariharan, Sindhu (2016-10-31). "UAE-Based Online Grocery Startup instashop Raises Funds From Souq.Com". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  22. ^ "Delivery Hero buys InstaShop to expand in Middle East, North Africa". Reuters. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  23. ^ "Delivery Hero buys InstaShop, valued at $360 million, to expand through Middle East". Tech.eu. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  24. ^ "Delivery Hero buys instashop to expand in Middle East, North Africa". Reuters. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  25. ^ "InstaShop goes head-on with pure online players - News | Khaleej Times". 2021-10-23. Archived from the original on 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  26. ^ "Νέος CEO στην instashop ο Nikola Cabarkapa". euro2day.gr. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  27. ^ Release, Press. "Talabat completes acquisition of instashop, a leading grocery delivery e-marketplace in MENA". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  28. ^ Cabral, Alvin R. "UAE's talabat acquires instashop from Delivery Hero for $32m". The National. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  29. ^ "Talabat fully acquires InstaShop for $32 million". Wamda. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  30. ^ "Tech in Asia - Connecting Asia's startup ecosystem". www.techinasia.com. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
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